The Firebrand

Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Firebrand" is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read. The retelling of the 'Iliad' through the eyes of Kassandra and the other women including Helen, Andromache, and Creusa is fresh and leaves the reader wanting more. I loved all 603 pages and would have been perfectly happy if it had lasted another 600 pages. The book is of a rare kind that makes you *feel* for every character in such a way that when Troy does fall and everyone is doomed to death or slavery your heart aches for every character. Even though this book is currently out of print, I would absolutely reccomend to everyone to stop at nothing to obtain it. This is a wonderful book that anyone interested in ancient myth and Greek history would love.

Having read all of Marion Zimmer Bradley books, I have learned to love her style of writing. However, I felt that this book fell short. I think the only reason I made it through the whole book was because it was by this author and I kept expecting the ending to make up for the rest of it. This did not happen and the ending was a let down. I kept wondering, what is the point of this story? There was much rambling on about different gods which took away from the characters. Everything the main charcter, Kassandra, set out to do was in vain. I felt very disappointed when finished with this book. While I have treasured and even re-read previous Bradley books in the past, I will not open this one again. I do recommend The Mists of Avalon or The Priestess of Avalon instead.

This was my first Susan Wiggs book and I read it in one day. I bought it a year ago and kept it in a stack of to-be-read books and kept avoiding it as she was a new author to me and I was hesitant. I am glad I finally got to it. I really liked it. It was sweet, sad, and heartwarming.

My favorite parts were when Maggie's point of view was taken. Not all romance authors write children's parts well, but Wiggs did an exceptional job. Maggie was endearing and funny and tied the hero and heroine together so well. I will now be reading more Susan Wiggs. I guess my to-be-read stack will have to sit longer.

As brilliantly written and compelling as Mists of Avalon! I loved this retelling of the Trojan War from the women's perspective. I wasn't quite as familiar with the Iliad, so parts of this were a surprise to me.
I could not put this down, and read in long spurts.

This third book of the trilogy was as good as the first two. Well written, with believable characters. Easily closes out the trilogy even though it began with 4 women. Interesting history in each book. Setting was well researched. Have recommended these books to fellow book club members.

Very much enjoyed this third book in the Chicago Fire Trilogy. Ms. Wiggs has created three distinct stories all revolving around the historical fire that roared through Chicago in the late 1800's. This one held my interest because it evolved over a five year period as one young woman is accidentally caught up in the marriage and family of a prominent banker, the tragic night of the fire. So many lives were forever changed, but as we see, all is not tragedy. As a sidebar to the historical fire, Women's Suffrage also plays out in dramatic fashion.

Though there were several things I didn't like about this book, it inspired such emotion from me that I have to say in spite of myself that it is very well-written and I understand the author's message. First off, for the readers that seem to slam her inclusion of mother-goddess worship in those times over preference for the dominant male-god worshipping, they are not looking at Greek mythology closely! The "Earth Mother" discussed is none other than the Greek Goddess Gaia who came before Zeus, Hera etc. The Python and the slaying of the Python by Apollo is in reference to Gaia's child and Apollo's slaying of it. Just type up Gaia, Greek mythology on any search engine and you can read about it. As for her "belittling" of the Trojan horse in the myth as others seem to complain about, again this is understandable. Archaelogical evidence over the supposed "discovered" city of Troy believes that Troy did fall to an earthquake and there is no evidence of a Trojan horse. This book was Bradley's attempt to get closer to the truth about Troy - a myth that has fascinated many for years and also seems to include a clear bias to male characters throughout time in such epic novels as "The Illiad", "Odyssey" etc. If one woman comes forth and challenges those stereotypes, then what is so terribly wrong about that?! In the other epic novels, Paris' act is not nearly criticized as much as it should be and Helen is mainly portrayed as a lascivious, evil adultress. In this novel, Bradley portrays a self-centered Paris, because obviously that's what he was to have committed his deed and portrays Helen simply as a woman exercising her right in choosing a lover. My major dissapointment in the novel was Kassandra's departure from Aeneas (though her re-creation of Aeneas was right on target!) - I would have preferred her give the true "Aeneid" retelling because it seemed more believable but then, I didn't write this book. Also, if we again look closely at Greek mythology, one would realize that Kassandra could very well represent the ideal of a modern woman with the choices she made in her time. As far as I'm concerned, Bradley attempted to convey this and I applaud her for it. She seemed to do a lot of research into this book - we see that in her postscript and also with her interpretation of the entire myth throughout the book. She uncovered a lot of old, almost lost stories of Greek mythology such as the Gaia retellings inserted in the novel and revived it for us to take a closer look. If you're looking for a fascinating, honest attempt at a retelling of this myth, you've read the right book.

If you're looking for a 'typical' Bradley book, this one falls short of most of her previous retellings. The premise of the book, whereby we see through Kassandra's eyes during the Trojan War, is interesting and I thought that if anyone could pull this off admirably it would be Bradley. However, this falls way short of her other books by a longshot.
First of all, her characters are hopelessly static and laregely unsympathetic. Using Mists of Avalon as a yardstick, every character in that book except one was a dynamic, exciting character that I felt sorry for and I could easily empathize with. In this novel, Bradley seems to have gone on a far more feminist bent and it seems she almost refuses to give any male in the story a sympathetic side. Paris, Hector, and Priam act ridiculously stereotypical and I still cannot understand why Paris acts the way he does toward his sister. The explanation that Bradley yields to us is hardly acceptable. The only male characters you might sympathize with is Odysseus, who is caught between friendship and honor. Even Aeneas is a flat character who only serves as a love interest to Kassandra. After all, if he wasn't there (in the novel as that role) then Kassandra would have seemed even less real. This character problem doesn't only relate to males though. Imadara, Penthesila, Andromache, and Polyexna are all horribly underwritten and underrepresented. Most of the time I was reading this book I was asking myself, "Who possibly acts like this?!" I'm fully aware of what Ancient Greece (and obviously by extension, Ancient Troy) was like, but I simply see many of these characters emontional conflicts as contrived and forced. Paris strangling his sister?! Andromache's hatred toward Kassandra at the end?
If you love Bradley, this book is an interesting read. However, Bradley's true strength is in her characters, and in this book, she simply falls far too short of her earlier more successful efforts. I would recommend that if you haven't read Bradley yet, then pick up Mists of Avalon or any other book in that 'series.'

I definitely, definitely like this book, no question about it. It's well-written, meticulously looked into by Marion Zimmer Bradley to give it an authentic feel, and an easy read.
But if, like me, you're looking for lots of magic, then Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon will probably be a bit better suited to your taste. (It also portrayed more three-dimensional characters, in my opinion.)
The Firebrand has more of a historical feel in the way it's told as compared to the Otherworldliness of Mists. But it's certainly good, too.

MZB presents a lively retelling of the Trojan cycle through the eyes of one of its lesser characters--Cassandra. Bradley freely fills the unknown eras of Cassandra's life with episodes of the store battles and feminine power. It was fun to see Bradley playing with tradition to recreate Cassandra, although I found it odd that she tries to justify her changes at the end of the book. These were some fast-paced 600 pages, although 400 would certainly have been sufficient.

This was my favorite out of the Chicago Fire Trilogy. I absolutely loved Lucy and all she stood for. The story was quite interesting. All of the characters had such depth to them that it felt like I was transported back in time getting to know them. I was sad to see this book end, but I loved how the story was wrapped up.

This book is as enjoyable as Mists of Avalon, more so than The Forest House. I was totally enthralled in the story of Troy from Cassandra's point of view. It is a rollicking and sympathetic telling of the tale. Of course it isn't "history", but that is one of the wonderful things about the traditon of Troy. There is no "official history", so matters are open to interpretation and retelling by any author, either in the oral tradition, or nowadays written. Zimmer Bradley makes a good job of it.

Truly not just a romance novel but deals with true political, traditional and family issues that are true even today. I am sure that I would enjoy this more if I was a mother as that one of the major plot vine in this book.

Writing was good, the relationship was gradual and although the chemistry was instant, for most of the book the relationships focused more on their relationship relating to Maggie than each other.

Marion Zimmer Bradley has done an excellent job transforming a myth many of us have taken for granted. Kassandra is a realistic and touching character. She is so human in her emotions and actions you can't help but understand her. The other characters add so much to the story you feel for them too. Creusa, Helen, Andromache, Hector, Penthesilia, and Aeneas have you hooked onto the story and the fate of the characters. Though Bradley pushes the theme of independence, it's woven into the story so well it's hardly noticable. Plus her explanations of such events like the slaying of Achilles are new and interesting. A great read.

Unfortunately this book pales in comparison to "Mists of Avalon": although the mythology is as legendary as the ones of King Arthur's era, characters are plain, one-dimensional and some of them simply deserve to be killed because of their stubborness or arrogancy. Lady Cassandra seems to be the one sober among them, but as noone listens to her prophecies, they will end up in troubles, it is clear from the start. Positive side: if you want to know who was who in legend of Troy, read this book...

Previous books I had read by Susan Wiggs were related to Camp Kioga and the citizens of Avalon, so this book was a delightful deviation from those previous books. The characters were clearly defined and clearly human. The plot reminds us that it is not money and prestige that proves who we are, but what is deep in our souls. Something to remember!

I believe I liked this book the best out of the three but each book was great. The characters in this one Rand, Lucy, Maggie were just terrific. It was a beautiful love story where Lucy and Rand traveled a difficult, trying path to each other. The book was alive too with the history at that time. It was a great historical romance.

Men record history. In general, this is the way things have been since the beginning. It follows that history has a male bias. The thing I love most about "The Firebrand," as with Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon," is that we finally get to see some of the most famous historical events ever recorded from a point of view that has been sorely neglected over time. A point of view shared by fully half of the world's population. Through the eyes of women. Seeing the events of the Trojan War unfold through the eyes of Kassandra makes the story come alive for me in a way that Homer's epic never could. I finally get to see what motivates Helen. I get to see why Klytemnestra hates Agamemnon. I see the the stores not as the big-breasted blondes painted by men but as hard-muscled and fiercely proud warriors. The people in Bradley's story are full of life, emotion, and conflict. The conflict was the most interesting part for me. Women in history are usually painted in a very two-dimensional fashion. In this book, the female characters all have issues to deal with that are glossed over in other narrations of the tale. Yes, this is a work of fiction. Yet, it is based on a chronicle of an event that did take place centuries ago. If Homer could tell it his way, why can't Bradley tell it hers?

After reading The Mists of Avalon, I didn't think there could be another novel by Bradley to surpass its masterpiece. . . I was wrong. Firebrand was a novel that sweep me by storm. Between the two novels, Firebrand in much more fast-paced and adventure packed. Bradley's characters, as always, come to life with vibrant colors. I was struck by emotions, from tears to shear laughter throught the novel. The only fault I could find was that it had to end so soon.
Kassandra, the main character, is a bold and curious woman. Bradley, through great historical writing, takes the reader through the various cultures in the time of the Trojan War. If you like historical fiction with a twist, this novel is a must read. It not only delves into a dramatic plot and love story, but describes a day in the life of the wealth of that time.
Again Bradley captures the readers interest with her viewpoints through the most unexpected characters. I especially loved her insights on the famous Helen of Troy and Kassandra.
Overall, this novel is a masterpiece that must be place in its own catagory. I highly recommend this novel to anyone to craves a warming love story, adventurous battles, vivid characters, and great historical descriptions. 5 stars for a remarkable and smooth-flowing author.

I'm not a huge fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley, but the Trojan War is one of my favourite subjects, and I was curious to see how it could be told from a singular, feminine point of view - in this case, Princess Kassandra of Troy, tragically famous for her accurate predictions of doom that no one believed. "The Firebrand" is told with Bradley's trademark style; a strong feminist streak (that can become a little too heavy-handed at times), and her fresh spin on an ancient legend, a technique that brought Bradley into the public eye with her best known novel The Mists of Avalon.

"The Firebrand" follows the life of Kassandra of Troy from childhood to the fall of her city at the hands of the Akhaians, and the details of her life in-between, significantly her relationships with her family members and her struggles with her gift/curse of prophesy. Oddly enough, Bradley does not instigate the Trojan War into the story until nearly halfway through the book, filling the pages instead with Kassandra's growth into a young woman, her tutelage under the the store Penthesilea, various love affairs (of the wanted and unwanted variety) and the rituals of a priestess's life. Amongst all this, the war seems almost arbitrary, and several of the most important aspects (such as the deaths in the royal family) are glossed over with little to no emotional resonance. This may be disappointing to some, so be warned: "The Firebrand" is mainly interested in the life and times of Kassandra - even though the title directly refers to Paris, here portrayed as Kassandra's twin brother.

Kassandra is a well-drawn character, willful yet sensible, passionate yet contained, and in a clever twist Bradley makes it clear that it is not just her prophecies that make her somewhat of a pariah amongst her family, but her modernist streak as well. She certainly comes across as a woman living outside of her own time, and yet she never feels anything but entirely natural in her attitudes and relationships - even though some of these relationships are established early on in the text, only to be ignored later on. Other characters are less convincing than Kassandra, (such as Andromache, whose personality seems to change with each appearance), or ultimately inconsequential, such as Bradley's original characters Khryse and Chryseis, who are introduced only to serve no real purpose in the overarching plot.

Other times, the storytelling is often just plain sloppy: Kassandra periodically has visions of her brother Paris, but we are told at the end of chapter six that: "Paris was gone, this time beyond any recall at her command. She did not see him again for a long time." The following chapter picks up a few weeks later, in which Kassandra is once again engaged in watching her brother from afar.

As usual, Bradley's greatest weakness is her feminist streak, which can get so overwrought at times that it becomes an irritating strain on the credibility of the story's integrity. The key to any strong female protagonist is *not* to surround her with thuggish, block-headed caricatures of men, but to have her hold her own against men that are just as worthy of respect in their own right. Bradley clearly does not grasp this theory, as practically every male in the book is foolish, lecherous, arrogant or all three. Strengthening female characters by vilifying all the male ones, is in itself a weak way to portray convincing characters - not to mention robbing any sense of poignancy or emotion from the fates of Paris, Hector, Priam and Akhilles. The way Bradley writes it, we should be glad they all meet with tragedy.

Likewise, Kassandra (and though her Bradley) holds a hefty amount of distain to any woman who displays devotion to her spouse. From insisting that children belong to their mothers instead of their fathers (it seems to have escaped her notice that children could belong to *both* parents), mocking any woman who is content with being a wife and mother, and insinuating that the Trojan War would have never started had they all lived in a matriarchal society, Bradley pushes her feminist agenda so far that even this liberal female gender-studies student got tired of it.

This is unfortunately not my only grievance. What begins as an interesting insight in the gods and how they interact with mankind (beginning with the conception of Helen between Zeus and Leda) eventually becomes a muddled portrayal of gods and their influence over mankind. With Bradley attempting to rationalize some aspects of Greek legend, such as the Kentaurs and the snake-hair of Medusa, it seems odd that the gods would appear at all. However, at various points in the text, Kassandra communicates and witnesses various gods at work. Although Bradley opens up an interesting commentary on how the gods *might* work, their arbitrary appearances and her awkward insertion of a "goddess-mother" (who bears no resemblance to any god in the Greek pantheon) renders the portrayal confusing. Whatever her point was, it is lost in the contradictions and omissions in the text.

Although I enjoyed the character of Kassandra, and the unique twists that Bradley inserts into the original legend of Troy (such as an interesting portrayal of Odysseus and a different figure responsible for the death of Akhilles), there is something missing from this retelling: a clear sense of the context in which Kassandra's personal journey takes place. Although she remains consistent, the lack of interest in the war itself and the inconsistency in both the portrayal of the gods and those closest to Kassandra mean that the story feels...incomplete. It's almost like we've only seen a tiny portion of the experiences that shape who this woman really is. Despite several positive aspects, I'd recommend giving this Trojan retelling a miss and trying Goddess of Yesterday, another look at how a young woman is shaped by her experience both as a woman and a participant of the Trojan War.

The characters were very much different. Rand clearly didn't like Lucy. Lucy was too hung up on feminist issues. When they did get married (for convience of course)she seemed more concerned with being a feminist than a wife. She was bossy. Oh and then they had sex. The ending tied up nicely, but there was cleary something missing along the way-the romance and the love between the two characters. In fact the last chapter was the only romantic part of the book.

The Firebrand is a long, hard read. I could put it down any time that I felt like, if that says anything. There were many times in the book that she contradicted herself, for instance, at first she said that Kassandra was set on forever remaining a virgin, and, without saying why, Kassandra suddenly leaps into Aeneas' arms. Would a woman who has sworn to chastity and kept it with zeal and pride suddenly sleep with a man who she wouldn't even miss if he left Troy? Many such discrepancies happen well over twenty times in the book. However, her use of language in any of her books is entrancing, only when she repeats herself and drifts from the tale does reading get tedious. While the Firebrand is a beautiful story, Bradley has outdone herself with boring attention to detail. She seems to be obsessed with a certain type of encounter (those who have read many of her books will agree with me), and she refuses to further her own writing. The Mists of Avalon was beautiful, and it is her best loved work because she tells the whole story and not just bits and pieces of it.

HI!I THOUGHT THAT THE FIRBAND WAS A GREAT BOOK. I NEVER READ THE MIST OF AVALON BUT I DID READ THE LADY OF AVALON AND THEY WERE BOTH GOOD. THE CHARACTERS IN FIREBAND WHERE EXELLENT THAT IS MY OPINON. THE ONLY THING THAT I WISHED IS THAT KASSANDRA AND AENEAS STAYED TOGEHTER AT THE END. SHE FINALY FOUND A MAN THAT SHE LOVED BUT AT THE END SHE HAD TO GIVE HIM UP. KASSANDRA AND AENEAS SHOULD BE THE ONES TO BUILD A NEW KINGDOM. THEY HAD TRUE LOVE. THIS BOOK TOOK ME 10 DAYS TO READ BUT IT WAS WORTH IT. I WAS SO SAD THAT I FINISHED THE BOOK WHEN I WAS DONE READING IT. THIS BOOK HAS WAR,ROMANCE,MYSTERY, AND MORE. I COULDN'T WAIT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO AENEAS AND KASSANDRA IN THE STORY. IAM 15 AND I DONT NORMALLY READ BOOKS LIKE THIS BUT THE LADY OF AVALON WAS EXCELLENT AND I COULNT WAIT TO READ THE FIREBRAND IF IT WAS AS GREAT AS THE LADY OF AVALON AND IT WAS.IF U FIND THIS REVIEW HELPFUL IT WAS GREAT WRITING IT FOR U GUYS TO READ.BYE

The story of Lucy and Randolph is creative and wonderful, but in my opinion the author did alittle too much stereotyping for each charactor. Mrs. Hathoway was too much of the "OH woo is me, I lost all of my money, and 5 years later I am still feeling sorry for myself", Lucy was what today we would almost call Feminist Militant, and Randolph was blind as humanly possible to the cause that Lucy was fighting for. Also, Randolph's first wife was the stereotypical chilly socialite, the governess was the stereotypical Governess, and Randolphs mother was the stereotypical older, rich woman. And all of the other charactors, The Reverend, the Bank Officals, and Maggie were all very one sided charactors with no middle ground. I did enjoy the book never the less, and loved Susan Wiggs ability to tie all of the girls together starting with the same night, but not ruin it for you if you missed one in the series. All in all an excellent book.

This is the third story of SW's Chicago Fire Tragedy. In this story the super rich Lucy winds up with a baby in her arms after it is tossed out a window of a hotel.
She ends up raising the girl as her daughter. Then 5 years later while she is going into the bank for her loan extension on her bookshop she determines that the parents of her little Maggie are not dead after all.
I really enjoyed how they talked about strong women and their marches etc. to get the right to vote and how it was not only unpopular but in some cases not even very safe for all those who are close to them. You will also see Kathleen and Debra (from books 1 & 2) at different parts of the book.
It is a romance story so yes there is a happy ending with a new family etc... I liked this one 2nd, I still like Debra's story the best.

This is the third story of SW's Chicago Fire Tragedy. In this story the super rich Lucy winds up with a baby in her arms after it is tossed out a window of a hotel.
She ends up raising the girl as her daughter. Then 5 years later while she is going into the bank for her loan extension on her bookshop she determines that the parents of her little Maggie are not dead after all.
I really enjoyed how they talked about strong women and their marches etc. to get the right to vote and how it was not only unpopular but in some cases not even very safe for all those who are close to them. You will also see Kathleen and Debra (from books 1 & 2) at different parts of the book.
It is a romance story so yes there is a happy ending with a new family etc... I liked this one 2nd, I still like Debra's story the best.

Naomi Salvarezza Reading and Writing English 100 2/22/00
Firebrand is my favorite book of all time. It is the tragic story of Troy told from the perspective of Princess Kassandra. Kassandra is a very beautiful young women going against the world. Since she was a child, she had the ability to see into the future. Troy's future was destined to be destroyed and Kassandra knew all along. The main point in this book to me is how Kassandra knew of the future and what awaited her people; everyone thought she was crazy for assumming such a terrible outcome. In the end every last prophecy she made came true and all her family died or were made into slaves. Kassandra lived her life with the pain of being ignored and yet she loved and cared for every last person who was around her. The princess had the spirit of a warrior and the heart of an angel who tried to serve her purpose for her God. Marion Zimmer Bradley's work brings joy to my life and I urge everyone to read this book.

This is the women's lib version of the Trojan War. While I'm a big fan of the author's Darkover novels -- at least the ones I've read -- this didn't do a thing for me. I normally find the subject matter quite interesting, but Bradley puts a ridiculous late-twentieth century spin on it to express her feminist beliefs, as she's done in print quite a few times. It's all here: all the men are out-of-control, animalistic warmongers, and all the women are admirable. Even Helen, who in the legend is the cause of the war, is presented as a faithful (at least to Paris) wife and a good mother to her children. And of course there are the stores, those strong and invincible and really really capable women. It's not hard to imagine the author while writing it visualizing her female readers shouting out loud, "Right on, sister!" when they come to a particularly effective passage. I did make it all the way through, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but a not-very-discerning feminist. Everybody else, stick with Homer and Virgil, and with Christa Wolff.

This author is well known and respected in the genre and this novel will only add to that reputation. Of course, the dilemma is this current book is a reissue of a decade old book. Although the story is well told, thoughtfully seated in early 20th century history and has exciting elements of the historic Chicago fire throughout--it's still sadly dated. This is felt in the slower tempo of the story, the quiet, almost boring touch to the sensuality and the overall elements to the characters that defer excitment. Solidly researched story about an exciting time and place, that never quite touches the characters lives ending with snoozy discussions on early 20th century feminist politics--best left as a "pass".

I read this a long time ago after falling in love with Marion Zimmer Bradley's story telling in The Mists of Avalon. This is a much tighter book, the writing is better, more sophisticated and just as compelling as her biggest best seller. I LOVED this book!

I'd only read two of MZB's books, but I loved them more than any other book I'd read (The Mists of Avalon and The Lady of Avalon). So, when I saw Firebrand, I was excited to read it, having a love of Greek and Homeric mythology. Generally, the book was good. Not the up to par with my two previous experiences, but good in it's own right.

But, if you are an avid Illiad 'fan', as I am, you may be rather dissapointed with the telling of the Trojan war in this book. One upside is that she spells most everything as it would have been spelled; Kassandra, Klytemnestra,Mykenae, and refering to the Greeks as Akhaians. Though, overall, it is something of a Feminist Illiad. Many of the events of the Trojan war, such as the death of Akhilles and the Trojan horse, are much different in this book than that of the Illiad. Maybe a bit to different.

(...) Opening the book, I could have sworn I had read it before. Except the the stores were priestesses, the Greeks were Saxons, and Helen was Gwynhyfar! Indeed, I felt as if the characters from 'The Mists of Avalon' had come back to star in another version of 'Mists' set in ancient Greece. All together, i was not impressed by this book, especially after my Humanities Honors class spent monthes discussing 'The Illiad', 'The Odesseuy' and 'Trojan Women'.

Let's start off with the men in the book. Now, a lot of times in MZB books, the men are either egotistical jerks or they're romantic interests who become egotisical jerks. If you've read 'The Illiad' you understand the emotions of the warriors, especially Hektor, Priam and Akilles (who admittingly is a bastard in 'The Illiad' and is downright ancient Greek Ted Bundy in 'The Firebrand'). However, MZB just makes all of them mean! Just like in 'Forest House' and most of her other books! I cried at Hektor's death in 'The Illiad', and I was very disturbed by her portrayal of him as a pompous know-it-all in her book.

Then there's the women. I did not like Kassandra--she was a goody-two-shoes version of Morgaine from 'The Mists'. She was constantly thrown around with a 'victim' sign around her neck. And, at least for me, it's very hard to like victims. Polyxena's character is completely wrong--she is the YOUNGEST of Priam's children! Why is she older than Kassandra? Hecuba and Priam had scads of daughters--why was Polyxena the oldest? Why did Helen and Andromache eerily resemble Gwynhyfar and Igraine from 'Mists'? Why was Hecuba turning into Vivian from 'Mists' as well? And, why was the entire sad story of 'Trojan Women' dubbed down into a couple of pages? MZB had a huge oppurtunity to play an emotional card here, but she didn't. I am throughly disappointed.

And on one final note, what's with the cover painting? Are the publishers THAT desparate to sell to the teenage Wiccan crowd? Why is Kassandra dressed like a Medieval princess in ancient Greece? Oh well. I'm not the one to argue.

Besides the Mists of Avalon (by the same author), this is the best book ever. I was never interested in the Trojan War before I read this book and now I understand it better. I highly reccomend this book. It interesting to read a story on the Trojan War through the eyes of the women (Kassandra, Helen, Hecuba, Leda, Andromache, Oenone etc...) and it's very sad in the end (at least in my opinion). I'd give it more than five stars if I could!! :o)

This was the third book on the CHicago Fire about a group of women and how their lives changed before, during and after the fire. The author does a fine job of bringing them all together, separating them, and bringing them back together. Each has a story to tell and they were good reads.

After reading "The Mists of Avalon" (which I adored) I was only too happy to find out that MZB was re-telling another epic legend in "The Firebrand"! The story is so captivating that you feel you're living it yourself and you don't realize you've gone through 560 pages, you'll feel sorry that it's already finished. You'll get to adore Kassandra, Helen, Hector and Andromache and hate Akhilles and even Paris... Also, for your information since I see that this title is out of print in the States, you can get it from the UK the store site (http://www.the store.co.uk) This book is great and I recommend it to anyone interested in greek mythology or who has enjoyed the avalon series.

Marion Bradley has writing talent such that you'd almost believe she'd been given a gift from the gods like Kassandra during the fall of Troy. The first time I read this book, I moved it straight to the top of my mental list of all-time favorites. I'd go so far as to say this could be the best book I have ever read. Bradley's moving writing style and the accuracy of the historical counterparts of her writing make this book an absolute must for fantasy lovers and history buffs alike. My own copy has almost worn thin from reading over the years, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another copy, no matter what the cost.

This is the first Susan Wiggs books I have read but by no means is it the last. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Lucy is a true delight and Rand is wonderfully portrayed. However, Maggie is the true star - what a great kid! I thoroughly recommend this wonderful writer.

After reading "The Mists of Avalon" (which I adored) I was only too happy to find out that MZB was re-telling another epic legend in "The Firebrand"! The story is so captivating that you feel you're living it yourself and you don't realize you've gone through 560 pages, you'll feel sorry that it's already finished. You'll get to adore Kassandra, Helen, Hector and Andromache and hate Akhilles and even Paris... Also, for your information since I see that this title is out of print in the States, you can get it from the UK the store site (http://www.the store.co.uk) This book is great and I recommend it to anyone interested in greek mythology or who has enjoyed the avalon series.

Marion Bradley has writing talent such that you'd almost believe she'd been given a gift from the gods like Kassandra during the fall of Troy. The first time I read this book, I moved it straight to the top of my mental list of all-time favorites. I'd go so far as to say this could be the best book I have ever read. Bradley's moving writing style and the accuracy of the historical counterparts of her writing make this book an absolute must for fantasy lovers and history buffs alike. My own copy has almost worn thin from reading over the years, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another copy, no matter what the cost.

This is the first Susan Wiggs books I have read but by no means is it the last. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Lucy is a true delight and Rand is wonderfully portrayed. However, Maggie is the true star - what a great kid! I thoroughly recommend this wonderful writer.

Kassandra, a princess of Troy, struggles to find her place. Her loyalties divide between the ancient worship of the Mother Earth and the duties of a Pristess of Apollo. She is born with the gift of prophecy and cursed to be disbelieved. Her twin brother falls for the beauty of the age and begins one of most terrible wars in history. This is a wonderful window into the past and an adventure that follows a girl from court life to the store worrior to pristess and lover. Through splendor, strife, war, love and inner exploration the girl becomes a woman. The tale is enchanting and wonderfully crafted seen from a view not explored in history books.

I am an avid historical fiction reader, and this book embodies everything I look for in a good book. Kassandra is definitely a role model for all women because she is strong and unique in everything she does. I have read this book many times and enjoyed it more with each reading. The story of Troy is tragic, and to think that she had to live with it before it happened is just mind boggling. Marion Zimmer Bradley provides deep insight into an area previously left in the dark. This story of poor Kassandra is very moving.

Some romance novels are so hard to critique. This is one of them. Part of me really liked it and part of me thought it was so/so. I really liked Maggie/Christine's character. I'm still not sure about Lucy & Rand. Never really enjoyed the men vs women aka. . . good vs evil aspect. Never really seemed to develop honestly for me.

Having read numerous books on the fall of Troy and The Mists Of Avalon and the other Avalon books, I was overjoyed when I found this book. It was rich, enthralling rendition of ancient Troy, although it was a bit heavy on the feminist themes. I read it over and over again, as my battered copy will testify. I would strongly recommend this beautifully woven novel to most readers. Marion Zimmer Jones is an inspiring author whose books I will always enjoy.

Fans of Bradley's masterwork, THE MISTS OF AVALON, will find little to recommend this retelling of another famous legend. FIREBRAND tells the story of the Trojan war from the viewpoint of Kassandra the shunned prophetess, who is nothing like the deep and resonant characters of King Arthur's realm. Bradley's interpretations of some of the supernatural events of the tale (either more divine or more prosaic than in the legend) are interesting, but hardly worth reading the whole long, at times very boring, tale.

I am a big fan of mythology and I try to read as many books as I can on the subject. When I found this book I didn't know if it was going to be a good book or not, seeing as I had never heard of the author before. By the time I had finished the first two chapters I was hooked. I loved the detail that she put into the characters and the surrounding areas. Reading the book was like watching a movie. I highly recomend this book for anyone who is a fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Too bad there aren't negative stars. I'm a woman and I am ashamed of this revolting travesty of the Trojan War story. Revisionism making the disempowered women characters more interesting is a good thing. Turning Achilles, one of the greatest characters in world literature, into a bastard who rapes the dead body of an the store he has killed is quite another. Gives feminism a really, really bad name.

Since I have read many of Wiggs books in paperback, I decided to read
hers. Was interested in the Chicago Fire and this was suggested.
Good choice. Good love story. Makes you feel like you are the one
running for your life. She is good at decribing things so you can almost see them.

GINNY

This is the third story of SW's Chicago Fire Tragedy. In this story the super rich Lucy winds up with a baby in her arms after it is tossed out a window of a hotel.
She ends up raising the girl as her daughter. Then 5 years later while she is going into the bank for her loan extension on her bookshop she determines that the parents of her little Maggie are not dead after all.
I really enjoyed how they talked about strong women and their marches etc. to get the right to vote and how it was not only unpopular but in some cases not even very safe for all those who are close to them. You will also see Kathleen and Debra (from books 1 & 2) at different parts of the book.
It is a romance story so yes there is a happy ending with a new family etc... I liked this one 2nd, I still like Debra's story the best.

Marion Zimmer Bradley was a great author - when she lived. Now, however, 3 1/2 years after her funeral, her "estate" continues to publish "new works" with the real author barely identified. Please stop writing about the woman as if she just wrote what is really only as mediocre book. Might as well have "her" and "Frank Herbert" collaborate with all the fidelity shown to her works while she lived.